Anchoring means for sanitary drinking caps



April 20, 1943. P. N. FLEMING 2,317,046

ANCHORING MEANS FOR SANITARY DRINKING GAPS Filed March 14, 1941 Patented Apr. 20, 1943 OFFICE AN CHORING MEANS FOR SANITARY DRINKING CAPS Paul Nelson Fleming, Hagerstown, Md. Application March 14, 1941, Serial No. 383,445

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a sanitary drinking cap for bottles and the like, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and eflicient cap which may be easily attached to the mouth of a bottle to facilitate drinking from a bottle, and at the same time shield the lips of the user so that the end of the bottle neck will be prevented from contacting with the lips of the user.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient sanitary drinking cap having an insertin neck for fitting within the neck of a bottle and an overhanging or encasing flange for encasing the outer bead of the neck of a bottle to provide a sanitary shield for the bottle neck while drinking, the inner neck and outer bead providing a brace for firmly holding the drinkin cap upon a bottle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claim.

- In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the cap;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the cap;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modifled form of the invention.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that I I designates a bottle neck which is provided with a conventional cap-retaining bead II. In carry ing out my invention, the conventional crimped cap is removed and my improved sanitary drinking cap I2 is attached to the outer end of the neck of the bottle. This cap I2 is preferably formed of resilient waxed card-board, or other material, which may be obtained at a minimum cost. Light metal or other similar material, may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. The sanitary drinking cap may be easily stamped or pressed from sheet material and manufactured by automatic machinery.

The sanitary drinking cap I2 is provided with a drinking spout I3 which is open at its outer end I4 and along one side thereof, as at I5, for the full length of the spout I3 to the point where the spout I3 joins the wall I6, as shown. The spout I3 extends outwardly of the outer wall I6 and is inset from the outer periphery of the wall I6. The side edges of the cut-away portion I are gradually curved from a point approximately the longitudinal center of the spout I3 outwardly in the direction of the edge of the cap and merge into the outer wall I6. All edges are smooth to avoid injury to the mouth of the user. The wall I6 is provided with an aperture I'I formed within the inner end of the spout I3, and extends laterally of the cut-out portion I5, as shown.

A depending or inwardly extending neck I8 is carried by the inner face of the wall I5, which neck I8 is adapted to extend into the neck III of the bottle. The inner edge of the neck I8 is preferably inturned, as at I9, to reinforce the inner edge of the neck I8, and also to facilitate the insertion of the neck I8 into a bottle. An inturned annular rim 2D is formed at the outer periphery of the wall I 5 and overhangs the neck I8. The edge of the rim 20 is slightly out-turned, as at 2|, to facilitate the forcing of the rim 20 over the bead II of the bottle and also reinforce the rim 20. The neck I8 is preferably tapered toward the inturned portion I9 to facilitate the insertion of this neck I3 in the bottle, and this neck I8 is preferably longer than the overhanging inturned rim 20, so that the neck I8 will extend well into the bottle and the rim 2!] will overlie and encase the bead II.

When the sanitary drinking cap I2 is attached to a bottle, the neck I8 fits snugly in the mouth of the bottle, and the rim 20 fits snugly over the bead II in a manner whereby the neck I8 and rim 20 will brace and reinforce each other and hold the cap I2 against accidental displacement when in use. Since the rim 20 overlies the side of the bead II, and the wall I6 fits over the outer end of the bead I I, the outer end of the bottle will be encased thereby shielding the lips of the user and preventing his lips from coming in direct contact with the bottle. This device provides a sanitary shield as well as a means whereby a user may conveniently drink the contents direct from a bottle without the necessity of using an unhandy and unsatisfactory drinking straw. The device may be readily applied to the conventional soft-drink or similar bottle and through the use of this cap, the flow of liquid may be easily controlled by the user and the danger of spillin the contents upon the clothing is reduced to a minimum. The user may control the flow by regulating the size of the vent through the cut-away portion I5 by increasing or decreasing the size of the vent when moving his upper lip over the vent.

In Figure 5, there is shown a modified form of the cap having a drinking spout 22, an elongated outer rim 23, and an inner neck 24. This constitutes a modified design which may be advisable for use with some bottles.

Having described the invention,

what is claimed as new is:

7 As an article of manufacture, a sanitary drinking cap having an outer flat wall, a flange carried by the outer edge of said wall and adapted to overhang the bead of the neck of a bottle, said wall having a central aperture inset from the outer edge of the cap to provide a wide fiat lipabutment portion entirely surrounding the aperture, an open-sided spout partly surrounding said aperture and protruding outwardly of the flat wall adjacent the edge of the aperture, the open-sided spout defining a vent opening longitudinally of one side of the spout over which the upper lip of a user may extend, the fiat-abutment portion adjacent the open side of the spout being also adapted to be engaged by the lip of a user in a valvelike manner to control the flow of liquid out through the spout and into the mouth of the user, an inset annular neck formed around said central aperture upon the opposite face of said flat wall relative to said spout and adapted to fit into the neck of a bottle for anchoring the cap upon the neck of a bottle and for directing the contents of a bottle through said spout.

PAUL NELSON FLEMING. 

